The National Archives at Philadelphia

The National Archives at Philadelphia maintains the historically significant records of the Federal Agencies and Courts, in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, dating from 1789 to the present. These historical records are open to the public. The National Archives at Philadelphia's WWI holdings include, but are not limited to, records related to home front efforts, military intelligence, subversive activity, weapons, technology, soldiers, and the federal government's role during the Great War.

Other Institutions:

The Library Company of Philadelphia is an independent research library specializing in American history and culture from the 17th through the early 20th centuries. Founded in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin, the Library Company is America's oldest cultural institution and has the mission to preserve, interpret, make available, and augment the valuable material in its care. From November 11, 2016 through April 21, 2017, the Library Company of Philadelphia will have on display the exhibition Together We Win: The Philadelphia Homefront During the First World War.

The Pennsylvania State Archives is a bureau within the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the official state historical agency. Holding approximately 250 million pages of records, the primary purpose of the State Archives is to collect, preserve, and make available for study the permanently valuable records of Pennsylvania State government and its interactions with its citizens. The institution also collects the private papers of citizens and organizations relevant to Pennsylvania’s history.
Draft Board Records, Posters, Photographs, War History Commission Records, World War I Veterans Service Compensation Files, Maps, Letters, Newspapers, and World War I Service Medal Application Cards are just some of the items related to the Great War that researchers may view at the Pennsylvania State Archives.

Eastern State Penitentiary—opened in 1829 and closed in 1970—operated throughout nearly every major conflict in modern American history: the Civil War, World Wars I and II, and the Vietnam War. The inmate population mirrored a typical military population—in large part made up of young working class men.

The United States played a critical role in the planning and aftermath of the 1916 Easter Rising. This article examines the ways in which the Irish American community supported the Irish nationalists involved in the 1916 Rising with material, logistical, and moral support. Although the Easter Rising did not immediately result in the establishment of an Irish Republic, the assistance of the Irish American community helped the Irish nationalists establish an independent nation in the years following the Rising.

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Now on display from October 4, 2018 through February 20th, 2019, on the 1st floor of Falvey Memorial Library, Villanova University, the exhibit “Now far from home”: the ending of the Great War in Popular Imagination and Culture tells the story of American involvement in World War I and the ending of the war, curated […]

One family side show, The Millers Mechanical Shows, founded by John E. Miller and son Clifford M. Miller, traveled the United States showing their miniature reenactments, including their first act “Industrial City“, and later, in 1917 as American troops entered combat in […]

Last Modified: Sunday, January 29th, 2017

Connecting Scholars and the Educated Publicwith Primary Source Materials from the Great War Email WWIOnline.org